Valve



March 28, 1950 A. L. LoucKs 2,501,869

VALVE Filed May 23, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F IG.

1 IF n I lNVEA/TOR 1 AL. aue/(s A TTORNE V March 28, 1950 A. L. LOUCKS 2,501,869

VALVE Filed May 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

lNl/ENTOR 4. L. LOUC/(S A TTORNEV Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED :srmr es Harem entice '-'VALVE -Al'ton Izoucks, --Baltimorc, --Md.,. assignor to WesternJElectric .Company, Incorporated,'- New lYork, N...Y.,. azcorporation'. of. New York AppIicationiMaWZS;

Sometimes .the' lumpsiin the" cement, which are too largel'to :Lpass the orifice, partially or .completelyclog the; orificey and thereby-finterfere' with the application of the ="rcement to the articles. In time 3' past, no means "'havexbeen ;provided to completely clear :the OIifiCBTOf such zcement in a tery: shortzperiod of time :inaorder .totprevent interruption" of theiapplication of i'the .cement' to articles.

xAn object-of the invention is .togmrovide new andvimproved'svalves.

further object of. the invention is to: provide valves which have adjustablef -and ,quicklwopem able "orifices so. that the- :orifices -canbe opened quickly to prevent clogging of the valves without? interrupting the operations. ofamachines with which'the-valves are associated.

.sA valve forming one specific embodiment of the invention includes a .valve body i-havingz agtriangular orifice therein -with-1the apex of theorifice pointed in a predetermineddirection,whichis.- fastened adjustably toithe discharge endofi' a supply --.line through which viscous and sometimeslumpy thermoplastici cement. isivpassed. 1A closure member is. slidably xmonnte'd -onz the valve bodyrand 'has' a triangular Lorifice therein,-.-andtheapex thereof -t points i'il'l? a direction opposite toiithattof .the?apex-;of the orifice int'the :valve body. lTheiclosure membennorma'lily. iseurgedrby arcompression spring: against an adjustable stop to;.-a:'p0sition..in which the orifice atherein isionly partially in communication with .the'orifice tin the valve'body. When lumps inthe-Fthermoplastic--cement; prevent flow of the cementxthrough the .open i portion of the .orifice :in a the .closure member,-.the closure member .may ..;be moved rapidly to a position .in :which :the orifice is aligned with the vorifice in the -valve .body so thatclearance is provided .'for;theslmnps tcf pass completely through" .thevalve. After-ahis occurs, theclosure member. is released aridxthercompression spring. snaps its .back against the-adjustable stop; and again restricts the; opening.

"'A complete wunderstanding :of .zthe invention may ;'-be obtained 1 from ZJthe i following .ideta'iled description .of a valve formingza specific .embodi- "2 ment thereof; when-readin conjunction with" the appended drawings;.in which:

Fig. -1 wise-a side-elevation 201 .an apparatus including. a valve forming :onerspecific eembod'i- 5 ment ofthe invention;

. Fig..-.2- isrsa fragmentary; vertical-section "of; the

valve;an-d

.;Fig. 3 is: a I fragmentary, top plan viewitof-tthe valve. Referring now .inidetail to .the drawing, :a

cement-covered cable :1!) wand i'a thermoplastic tape I l are advanced continuouslypin the: direction of the arrow'in Fig- 1 through U-shaped former l2 and'a former l5, :whichpresses an edge l6.ofthe tape against the cable. .Thetcable and .tape' then? are carriedpast .a thermoplastic cement applicator. and througha serving'head of awell-known type, which is driven by:.a line shaft'2l wdrivenbya suitable source-of "power, 20 suchas an" electric motor (not shown). The formers l2 and [5-, the serving head, the line shaft and-the motor are disclosed in detail; in myrcopendingkapplicatiorrSerial No; -6'71,835;filed May 23, 1946, now-Patent Number 2,494,050,'"granted 25.Ja-nuary.110, 1950. \The: serving-head :20 applies fabric tapes 2'5-25 to wrap an edge :26- of the tape ll over ktheedgef "3 thereof. The :cement applicator Iii-applies a stream 101 thermoplastic cement. to the portion" of the'thermoplastic tape so I hadjacent'toithee'dge 'IBthereofas" the tape is advanced. therepa'st, and the fabric tapes: .-25 press theedge-ZB of theitape' ll tightly against the portion ,of' the edge 16 thereof having cement thereon, whereby the edge 26 of thetape ll is 3 .sealed tothe edge [-6 thereof.

J .The applicator I 1. includes 1a steam-jacketed melting kettle 3llrhaving-=a grating tlltherein; on which grating open end cans 3232 containing the thermoplastic cement are "placed. The

.steamt-jacketed melting :kettle 'heats .the .cans 32-1732: and thecement so that the tcement? melts and -flows 'out ofithe cans through:theagrating into the bottom of" the kettle-3B. Asha'ft 3dfhavingtajpropeller-z35 thereon rotates thepropeller -;35, 'which .agitates the "cement .in .the melting kett1e,- whereby melting'ofthecement is accelerated. The'container 3G includes a-discharge.conduit 1135 into which the cement flows andmro 555 cof ltheithree; propellers 31,-=38-and--39..is toenrge v the cement downwardly, but the propeller 38 by its upward-urging action agitates the cement and prevents it from congealing in the discharge conduit 36.

The gate valve 40 includes a valve body 4| having a substantially straight passage 42 therein, and a valve wedge 45 mounted for movement transverse to the axis of the passage 42 in the valve body 4|. A stem 46 serves to connect the Wedge 45 to a lever 41 of the second class, which is connected near one end thereof to a piston rod 50 (Fig. 1) of a piston (not shown) positioned in a cylinder 5|. A four-way valve 52, having a supply line 53 connected to a supply of air under pressure, serves to control the passage of air under pressure to the cylinder 5|. A solenoid 55, which controls the four-way valve 52, is actuated by a control circuit disclosed in the abovementioned copending application Serial No. 671,835, filed May 23, 1946, now Patent Number 2,494,050, granted January 10, 1950, the operation of which it is not necessary to disclose herein. When the winding of the solenoid 55 is energized, it actuates the four-way valve 52 to cause the piston rod 50 to be moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, whereby the lever 4'! and the stem 46 move the wedge 45 (Fig. 2) to open the passage 42 in the valve body 4| so that the cement from the discharge conduit 36 has a free passage through the passage 42 in the valve body 4|.

When the above-mentioned control circuit (notshown) is actuated in one manner, the line shaft 2! is not driven and the shaft and the serving head 2|! coast to a stop. A capstan (not shown), which advances the tape and the cable Ill to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, is driven by the line shaft 2| and also coasts to a stop. However, the control circuit prevents deenergization of the solenoid 55 until the line shaft stops completely, which controlling action is described in detail in the above-mentioned copending application. After the line shaft, the capstan and the serving head stop completely so that the tape H and the cable III are not being advanced through the apparatus, the control circuit deenergizes the winding of the solenoid 55. A spring (not shown) actuates the four-way valve 52 to cause the piston rod 5E! to be moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move the wedge 45 (Fig. 2) to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, in which position the wedge 45 completely closes the passage 42 in the valve body so that the supply of cement to the edge |6 of the tape H is shut ofi.

A flow-control valve 18 includes a threaded boss I l, which is screwed into a threaded portion 12 of the valve body 4| of the gate valve 4!), and

is provided with a large passage 15 therein. The

flow-control valve 10 also includes a plate 76/ which has a generally triangular orifice therein having a rounded apex l8 pointed along the longitudinal axis of the plate 16. The plate I6 also has shoulders 8!) and 8| projecting downwardly therefrom, as viewed in Fig. 2, and includes a guideway 82 extending longitudinally thereof. A slidable closure plate 85 provided with atriang'ular orifice 86, which flares outwardly, has a downwardly directed guide rod 8'! fastened to a rounded apex 88 of the orifice, which apex is directed oppositely to the apex 18 of the orifice TI. The slidable plate 85 is provided with downwardly directed shoulders 55 and 9|, and a compression spring 92 positioned between the shoulder 80 of the plate 16 and the shoulder 9|) of the plate I5 urges the slidable plate 85 to a position where the shoulder 9| abuts an adjustable stop screw 95 threaded into a tapped bore 96 in the shoulder 8| of the plate 16. In this position, the slidable plate 85 closes a large portion of the orifice ll of the plate 16 so that only a small stream of cement flows through the orifices ll and 85. The cement which does flow through these orifices is prevented from flaring outwardly by the guide rod M, which guides it in a solid stream toward the edge l6 of the tape N (Fig. 1).

The stop screw 95 may be screwed farther through the tapped bore 95 or farther out of the tapped bore 96 to enlarge or lessen, respectively, the size of the open portion of the orifice T! in the plate 16. The orifice E7 in the plate 16 is located eccentrically with respect to the boss H,

and the orifice 85 in the plate 85 is eccentric with respect to the boss H. Thus, if the boss 1| is threaded farther into the tapped portion 12 of the gate valve ll the orifices l? and 86 are moved laterally with respect to the edge it of the tape N (Fig. 1) so that the stream of cement may be applied to any desired portion of the tape adjacent to the edge It thereof.

If the eifective or open portion of the orifice IT in the plate it became partially or completely clogged by lumps in the cement, a rod I00, which is screwed into a tapped bore |0| formed in the shoulder 88 of the plate 85 and passes through a guide bore E62 formed in the shoulder of the plate "i5, is pulled manually to the left, as

viewed in Fig. 2, by a nob Hi3 thereon. This moves the orifice in the plate 85 to a position in substantially complete alignment with the orifice ii in the plate 78 so that the open portion of the orifice H is greatly enlarged and the lump or lumps in the cement may flow through the orifice 86 and unclog the flow-control valve 18. The knob H33 then is released and the compression spring 92 snaps the plate 85 back. to its normal position so that the regulated flow of the cement through the flow-control valve 18 is continued.

In the operation of the flow-control valve 10, the cement flows through the effective portion of the orifice 85 in the slidable plate 85 and is directed in a stream by the guide rod 81 upon the edge l5 (Fig. 1) of the tape it. the stream of cement is controlled by the size of the effective portion of the orifice 86, which may be adjusted within very fine limits by the adjustrnent'screw 95. If, during the operation of the flow-control valve 78, a lump or lumps in the cement which cannot pass through the open portion of the orifice ill in the plate l5 accumulate in the orifice H in the plate it, an operator grasps the knob H13 and pulls the slidable plate 85 to a position to which the orifice 85 therein is substantially aligned with the orifice 11 in the plate 38 and the lump or lumps clogging the orifice ll flow therethrough. The knob I03 then is released and the compression spring 92 returns the plate 85 to its normal position. This operation consumes only a short period of time and may be very easily effected.

The flow-control valve it! may be adjusted within very close limits and may be cleared of clogging material merely by pulling the plate 85 to a position in which the orifice 86 therein is aligned with thecrifioe Tl in the plate 15, and then permitting the plate 85 to be returned after the valve J8 has been unclogged without readjusting the valve H3. The size of the normally open portion of the orifice 86 may be adjusted lhe size of within very fine limits and very accurately by the adjustment screw 95. The position of the effective orifice may also be adjusted laterally to align it with a cable or other article to which the material flowing through the orifice is applied. The flow control valve is simple in construction and operation but is highly effective both in controlling the how of the cement and in discharging clogging material therefrom. Obviously, the flow control valve may be used for many other purposes in addition to applying cement to a cablecovering tape.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve for controlling the flow of material through a conduit having a discharge portion, which comprises a valve body mounted for rotative adjustment with respect to the discharge portion of such a conduit, said valve body including a rectangular plate provided with a generally triangular orifice in communication with the conduit and positioned. eccentrically with respect thereto, said orifice in the valve body including a rounded apex pointing in a predetermined direction, a closure plate having a generally triangular orifice therein and mounted slidably with respect to the first-mentioned plate, said orifice in the closure plate including a rounded apex directed opposite to the rounded apex of the orifice of the first-mentioned plate, a guide rod carried by the closure plate for guiding the material from the orifice in the closure plate, a pull rod secured to the closure plate for sliding it with respect to the first-mentioned plate, a stop for limiting the movement of the closure plate along the guideway, and. means for urging the closure plate against the stop.

2. A valve for controlling the flow of material through a conduit having an internally threaded discharge portion, which comprises a threaded cap having an opening positioned eccentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis thereof for adjustably engaging the threaded discharge portion of the conduit, a rectangular plate provided with a lug on one end having a guide bore therein and a lug on the opposite end having a tapped bore therein and secured rigidly to the cap in a position extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the cap, said plate also being provided with a generally triangular orifice in communication with the opening in the cap, which orifice has a rounded apex pointing toward the lug of the plate having the tapped bore therein, and a guideway extending between the lugs thereof, a closure plate having a generally triangular outwardly flaring orifice therein and mounted slidably in the guideway of the firstmentioned plate, an apex of the orifice of the closure plate being directed toward the lug of the first-mentioned plate which has the guide bore therein, a guide rod positioned at said apex of the orifice in the closure plate for directing material flowing from that orifice, an adjustment screw threaded into the tapped bore in the lug of the first-mentioned plate for limiting the movement of the closure plate along the guideway, a compression spring for urging the closure plate against the adjustment screw, and a pull rod mounted slidably in the guide bore in the lug of the first-mentioned plate for moving the closure plate along the guideway against the action of the compression spring.

3. A valve for controlling the flow of material through a conduit having a discharge portion, which comprises a valve body mounted for rotative adjustment with respect to the discharge portion of such a conduit, said valve body including a rectangular plate provided with a generally triangular orifice in communication with the conduit and positioned eccentrically with respect thereto, said orifice in the valve body including an apex pointing in a predetermined direction, a closure plate having a generally triangular orifice therein and mounted slidably with respect to the first-mentioned plate, said orifice in the closure plate including an apex directed opposite to said apex of the orifice of the firstmentioned plate, a guide rod carried by the closure plate for guiding the material from the orifice in the closure plate, a pull rod secured to the closure plate for sliding it with respect to the first-mentioned plate, a stop for limiting the movement of the closure plate along the guideway, and means for urging the closure plate against the stop.

4. A valve for controlling the flow of material through a conduit having a discharge portion, which comprises a valve body mounted for rotative adjustment with respect to the discharge portion of such a conduit, said valve body including a rectangular plate provided with a generally triangular orifice in communication with the conduit and positioned eccentrically with respect thereto, said orifice in the valve body including a rounded apex pointing in a predetermined direction, a closure plate having a generally triangular orifice therein and mounted slidably with respect to the first-mentioned plate, said orifice in the closure plate including a rounded apex directed opposite to the rounded apex of the orifice of the first-mentioned plate,

a and a guide rod carried by the closure plate for guiding the material from the orifice in the closure plate.

ALTON L. LOUCKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,790 Vampa Nov. 16, 1915 1,297,446 Collins Mar. 18, 1919 1,531,365 Wigley Mar. 31, 1925 1,536,874 Bates May 5, 1925 1,565,485 Melson Dec. 15, 1925 1,567,537 Mockus Dec. 29, 1925 1,593,695 Hanson July 27, 1926 1,892,260 Wick Dec. 27, 1932 1,898,147 Smith Feb. 21, 1933 2,123,354 Corse July 12, 1938 2,218,811 Chaussabel Oct. 22, 1940 2,310,516 Clark Feb. 9, 1943 

